Infant training item

ABSTRACT

Disposable receptacles having an interior surface and an outer surface, said receptacle consisting of with an outer layer of water-impermeable material and having an inner lay primarily composed of absorbent material, said receptacle having a opening on one side, said opening having a sealable closure have use for toilet training toddlers and infants.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is related to the field of potty training. During thetraining of infants and toddlers, it is important that the child beallowed to void whenever needed and that he/she not be allowed to getwet so that comfort is related to using a potty rather than voiding intothe diaper. However, when traveling it is often not possible to take thechild to a toilet. For example, when travelling by plane there are manytimes when the restroom is not available for use. When travelling bycar, the rest rooms are sometimes not as clean as might be desired orthere may be no possibility of turning off the road to allow the childto relieve himself. It is important at such times that the child be ableto void as needed without embarrassment, and that the care-giver be ableto dispose of the urine in an acceptable manner.

Several potties or adaptations of toilets have been disclosedpreviously. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,573 discloses and claims apotty training device with an enclosure of generally oval shape adaptedto fit over a toilet seat. The device is far more complex than theinstantly disclosed and claimed invention and requires that a regulartoilet be available for use. The instant invention does not require atoilet for use by the young child.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,212 discloses and claims a potty designed to be seton the ground. The potty has a cavity in the base/seat which forms abowl for collection of urine and feces. The bowl is equipped with adisposable liner which can be discarded with its contents. The device isbulky and presents a problem both as to privacy and portability. Again,the device of patent '212 is not useful when traveling in an airliner orwhen it is not possible to stop while traveling.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,150,050 discloses a liner for receiving waste. The linerhas tabs which are used to secure the bag to the hole in the wastereceiving cup-like structure. However, in that instance, the entirereceptacle can not be disposed of easily.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,794 to Stewart discloses a disposable wastecontainment item comprised of a liquid impervious bag with an absorbentelement incorporated. The closure of the bag must be sufficiently largeto fit over a receptacle that provides support for the bag. The bag,when filled with waste, can then be discarded.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,855 to Lorenzo discloses a disposable, biodegradableliner for a potty having an elastic band around the opening and aclosure means using hook and loop fasteners.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,624 to Sasaki discloses a standard disposable diaperhaving means to display a color indicator when wetted with urine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a container for use as adisposable receptacle for urine and/or feces when traveling with a smallchild. This invention provides a disposable, flexible, easilytransported and disposed container for accepting urine. The invention isa bag which has a moisture impervious outer layer and an absorbent innerlayer and having a sealable closure means at the opening. The receptacledoes not require a potty or other support to hold the container, but isheld by the caregiver while in use by the child. The sealable closuremeans may be, for example, a ZIPLOC™, tape or a draw string. It is alsopossible to have closure means consisting of an adhesive strip thatfolds over the opposite side of the receptacle to form a secure closurefor the bag. The child may excrete urine or, if the bag is appropriatelyshaped, may excrete feces into said bag. After use, the outer layer issealed and the entire container is disposed of.

The receptacle may have an outer “purse” which is adapted to fit thestyle of the particular receptacle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 provides an over-all view of the disposable receptacle withopening, identifying particular layers of the container.

FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of the opening with a particular closuremeans.

FIG. 3 shows a disposable receptacle with tape as closing means.

FIG. 4 shows a receptacle having drawstring as a closure means.

FIG. 5 shows a view from the inside of the disposable receptacle havinga drawstring closure means.

FIG. 6 shows a view of the opening having a formable shaping strip forproviding a shaped opening for use by female infants and toddlers.

FIG. 7 shows a cross sectional view of one side of the opening having ashaping strip.

FIG. 8 shows a detail the top of a receptacle having a pre-formedopening.

FIG. 9 shows a purse-like covering for a disposable receptacle of theinvention.

FIG. 10 shows a receptacle of the invention having a wide top for usewith female children.

FIG. 11 shows a covering for use with the disposable receptacle, saidcovering having a draw string.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The instantly claimed invention is a container particularly developed toallow very young children, especially during the period of pottytraining, to void when there is no appropriate toilet available fortheir use. The container is flexible and easily carried in a purse orsuitcase during travel. When the opening large enough to cover thegenitalia is held against the child with the opening positioned to catchthe urine, the child is able to void without undue notice by thosearound. It is possible for the caregiver to then dispose of thecontainer with the urine in any manner they would usually use fordisposal of a disposable diaper. Because the toilet item of theinvention is totally disposable and requires no container for support,there is not need to have a bulkier, rigid object to transport or cleanand there is no time consuming fitting of the potty trainer bag to aseat or container.

The disposable receptacles have an interior surface layer which isprimarily composed of an absorbent material and an outer surface layerwhich is impervious to water. Disposable receptacles of the inventionhave an opening on one side with a sealable closure means. The closuremeans may be as simple as an adhesive strip which, when applied to somearea of the outer layer holds the material within the absorbent layerand prevents seepage.

Referring to the drawings, note in FIG. 1 the invention consists of abag (1) with at least two layers, a water-proof layer (2) and anabsorbent layer (3), said bag having, an opening (9), and on theopening, a closure means (4) which may be, for example, a strip having,on one side of the opening, a groove and on the other side of theopening, a corresponding, complementary ridge or projection which fitsinto said groove when the top of the sides of the receptacle areproperly positioned and pressed together. Referring to (FIG. 2) showingthe opening of the bag, wherein there is shown a firm grooved strip (5)and on the opposing side of said opening, a strip with a projection (6)which interacts with the opposing grooved strip, said groove andprojection being complimentary to each other so that a tight closure isformed. An example of such a closure is that found on ZIPLOC™ bags.

In another embodiment, (see FIG. 3) the closure means may consist oftape (10) on opposing edges of the opening that will stick to each otherto form a closure when a covering is removed from said tape. Theadhesive tape is covered by a strip of easily removed material to exposethe adhesive. An example of such a closing is that found on someenvelopes. In other instances, the closure means (see FIG. 4) may be adraw string (7) to provide means for closure after use. FIG. 5 shows oneside of the closure using a draw string. In that case, it is preferredthat the inner casing through (8) which the drawstring is encased have,additionally, a material such as a sticky gum-like material (19) whichwill seal the bag.

For use by little boys for voiding, the shape of the opening into thebag is not important. For little girls, there is need for more complexopenings. For example, (see FIG. 6, which depicts a view of the opening)the opening may have formable strips for providing a shaped-opening foruse by female infants and toddlers. The formable strips (12) are seen oneither side of the opening in the middle of each of the complementarystrips of closure means (11). While various material may be used to makeformable strips, strips of easily malleable material such as that in thestrips pressed across the nose in surgical masks. The formable stripsprovide means to allow formation of a of a roughly diamond shaped oroval opening into which the child may void. Referring to FIG. 7, thereis shown a cross section of one side of an opening wherein the openingis closed with a drawstring (13) and wherein the surface on the side ofthe casing toward the inside of the bag (14) holding the drawstring hasa sticky surface (15) covered by an easily removable covering strip (16)which can be removed to expose the sticky sealing surface, the casinghousing, in addition to the drawstring, a somewhat rigid. In this case,the formable strip is a removable material strip (17) such as an easilymolded (bent) metal which can be molded to form an adequate opening (forexample, a semi circular or oval in opening). When the child hasfinished voiding into the bag, the somewhat rigid strip may either bebent straight so the sticky edges will close or may be removed throughslits (18) in the casing and the bag closed.

In another embodiment, the top edge of the bag may have a ZIPLOC™ likeclosure which can be used to close the bag. The somewhat rigid stripmay, but need not, be removed from a casing.

As would be clear to one of ordinary skill the art, materials can bereplaced with other materials as needed. For example, the metal in thecasing, as shown in FIG. 7, can be replaced with a plastic which isshaped to form an appropriately shaped opening. In that instance, theopening with the ring would be laid against the side of the bag and theclosure means would be a flap which is sealed against the outside of theouter water proof covering of the bag. Referring to FIG. 8, the drawingshows the opening when a pre-formed rigid opening (20) is formed in thebag to collect urine. The rigid material which supports the opening maythen be removed through slits, such as those seen at (18) in FIG. 7followed by closing using whatever closure means is provided. However,the opening may also be closed using a tape covered extension (21) whichadheres firmly to an area (22) on the exterior of the impermeable outerlayer on the opposing side of the bag.

The products of the invention can also be in a form which disguises thecontainers. For example, an outer surface may, instead of being white ortranslucent, be of various colors or designs. Additionally, there may becovering materials which can be reused with the receptacles of theinvention composed of absorbent materials covered with plastics used asdisposable liners. In the commercial setting, the covering containerswould be designed to fit with a particular product.

FIG. 9 shows a purse-like covering (33) having two sides (34 and 35) aflap (36) on one side which folds over the opening (37). The innersurface (38) of the flap has a closure means (39) which interacts with asecond closure means (40) on the outer surface of the opposing side toprovide closure.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 10 shows a covering (25) for the adisposable receptacle of the invention having an opening with asemi-rigid area (26) shaping the opening. The semi-rigid material mayconsist of a wire or other malleable material inserted in a pocket inthe material which receives and holds the malleable material or may beadherent to the material forming the covering. The inside of thecovering may have, near the opening, a means of holding the disposablereceptacle (27) such as VALCRO™. The covering may also have attached toone side (28) of the covering a tab (29) which will fit over the top ofthe covering with a closure means (30) which will interact with areciprocating closure means (31) on the other side (32) of the covering.The disposable receptacle is made to fit into the covering of FIG. 10and may be secured with reciprocating attachment means (27) such assnaps or VALCRO™ to hold the disposable receptacle in the covering.

FIG. 11 shows the inner surface of a covering (45) having a draw-stringclosing (46). The inside of the top edge on or near the drawstringclosing may have attachment means (47) which interact with an attachmentmeans on the outer edge of the disposable receptacle so that thedisposable receptacle will be held within the covering.

An advantage of a covering such as those described above is that itprovides structure and disguise for the disposable receptacle within.Hence, the care giver can carry the disposable receptacle as disguisedin a cover ready for use. It would be likely that the covering withmultiple disposable receptacles would be made available together.

The receptacles of the invention may have been treated with deodorantsor odorants.

1. A disposable receptacle having an interior surface and an outersurface, said receptacle consisting of with an outer layer ofwater-impermeable material and having an inner lay primarily composed ofabsorbent material, said receptacle having a opening on one side, saidopening having a sealable closure.
 2. The receptacle of claim 1 whereinsaid closure means is a drawstring.
 3. The receptacle of claim 1 whereinsaid closure means is an adhesive tape closure means.
 4. The receptacleof claim 3 wherein said sealable closure means consists of two surfaceshaving adherent material on the inner surface of said opening of saidreceptacle.
 5. The receptacle of claim 1 having an opening surrounded bymalleable material, said opening wherein, when the malleable materialhas been adjusted causes the sides of said opening to come together, thesides of said opening adhere to each other to form a sealed closure. 6.A receptacle of claim 1 having thereover a covering.
 7. The receptacleof claim 6 wherein said covering has a drawstring closing.
 8. Thereceptacle of claim 6 wherein said covering has a tape closing.
 9. Thereceptacle of claim 6 wherein said covering has a flap closing
 10. Thereceptacle of claim 1 which has been treated with an odorant ordeodorant.